


Press Restart

by bartsy



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-07-16 01:18:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16075358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bartsy/pseuds/bartsy
Summary: Adam arrives just in time to stop Aaron's wedding.





	Press Restart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lobotomite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lobotomite/gifts).



Aaron's wondering how this all happened so quickly. One day, he was proposing to Robert at the layby and then the next, they're already getting married.

He's trying to get dressed, but his shaking fingers aren't helping him any. This isn’t like his last wedding— he's had time to propose, to prepare, to practice. He's not being overtaken by excitement and a time-crunch; there's no prison sentence looming over his head. Surely, this time should feel better. This was his idea, after all. He proposed. He picked out flowers and a cake and a stupid suit that feels wrong on his skin. He promised Liv that she'd have a family and he didn't want to disappoint her.

Aaron pushes down his nausea and thinks of Liv. She needs a family and Robert's the only one offering. He does love Robert and wouldn’t be marrying him if he didn't, but he needs to give Liv and Seb a stable family that they can rely on. He needs to do this for them. But the thought that something's missing, that this day isn't going how it's meant to, that he can't place why it all feels so wrong eats away at him.

Instinctually, his first thought is to talk to Adam about this. But his heart sinks when he remembers that not only is Adam not here at all, but that he's gone. Forever. And he'll almost definitely never see him again. Another wave of nausea hits him, this time laced with pain and loneliness, and he can't ignore it. He goes to the bathroom and splashes cold water on his face, hoping it'll calm him down.

He can't get married without Adam. Everything they've ever been through has been together and doing this without him feels wrong. Robert is meant to be his soulmate, but Aaron feels an even bigger ache for Adam.. He thinks, coldly, that he'd probably get over it if he never saw Robert again (he's prepared for it many times over the years and the thought gently settles in his stomach, more like weak carbonation than the acid of thinking Adam's gone). But Adam…

Well, he doesn’t think he'll ever get over it.

He goes back into the room where he's meant to be getting ready and paces back and forth between the bed and the dresser. "It's pathetic," he thinks, sitting on the edge of the bed, "I shouldn't need Adam to hold my hand through this." But he doesn’t fight the urge to open his phone and scroll through his photos, hoping that, at the very least, the memory of Adam will get him through the day.

Of course, that thought shakes him. This is his wedding day. He's not meant to just be "getting through it." He's meant to be enjoying it. Today's the day when he ties himself to Robert— the supposed love of his life— and he's dreading it. Worse yet, he can't stop thinking about Adam.

It's stupid, but he goes to his contacts and hovers over Adam's name. There'll be no answer and he's not even sure the number is still in service, but he can't make himself delete the number. It's too final. He won't be able to live with himself if he deletes the last remaining contact he has with his best friend. Like a fool, he presses the name and puts the phone to his ear.

""I'm sorry, the number you have reached—" Aaron hangs up, naively disappointed that he couldn't even reach the voicemail and hear Adam's voice one more time. He throws the phone on the bed and sighs.

"You clean up nicely."

And just like that, Aaron's skin goes cold and his heart starts racing. He turns around to face the doorway, where Adam is leaning against the frame.

"Adam." He can't stop himself. All it takes is three large steps and his arms are wrapped around Adam in the tightest hug he's ever given. The warmth of Adam's body engulfs him and he feels like he can breathe again. Adam hugs him back, just as tightly and Aaron swears he can feel Adam breathing him in as well.

He doesn’t want to pull back, but the hotel door is wide open and anyone could see them. He takes Adam by the hand into the room and shuts the door. "What…how…?" He doesn't know where to start.

Adam looks amazing, as always. He's not dressed for a wedding, instead wearing his classic jeans and hoodie combo, but his face is shaved nicely and his hair is just long enough for Aaron to run his fingers through it.

"Cain called me." Adam sits on the edge of the bed and Aaron follows suits. "He told me about the wedding and I, uh, I couldn't stay away."

"You're an idiot, you know that? If anyone sees you, you could get arrested."

"What, not happy to see me?" Typical Adam, Aaron thinks, using his puppy-dog eyes to win Aaron over. The lightness in Aaron's chest doubles and he feels like he's sitting on clouds. This can't be real.

"Of course I am." It takes every ounce of strength in him not to reach over and grab Adam's hand. "You know…you know Vic is here with Matty right? I mean—"

"I'm not here for Vic. I'm, uh, happy for them, actually."

Aaron doesn't know what to say. He doesn't know what he's even meant to say. Adam's on the run and he came back for Aaron's wedding, but doesn’t care that his wife's dating his brother? His head feels dizzy and light and that he needs to sit down even though he already is.

"So why are you back? And why would Cain help you?"

Adam stands up from the bed, keeping his back to Aaron.. "He thinks I can talk you out of this."

Aaron freezes. "Out of what? The wedding?" Adam's silence is all he needs for an answer. "Why would he do that? Why would you do that?"

"Aaron, stop, okay? You don't need to pretend anymore— not with me."

"What?" It feels like a punch to the gut and all the air has been forced out of him. "You…what?"

"Cain told me. Well, Chas told Cain who had a strop and called me. I know about Katie. And-and how he almost killed you and Paddy. And on top of all that, he cheated on you and your relapse and…" Adam lists off Robert’s sins like they’re poison. Aaron shakes his head, furious for a moment that Chas would tell Cain any of that.

It's not like that. They aren't like that. 

Robert's been there for him through thick and thin— so what if he's hurt Aaron along the way? That doesn't matter now.

"Stop!"

"Why?" Aaron freezes. "Aaron, I don't understand why you would stay with him. Why you would marry him." Adam spits the words out like acid. 

"Why wouldn't I? He loves me." It's weak and he knows it. Judging by the sad glint in Adam's eye, he knows it, too. "Stop it. Don't look at me like that. So what if-if he's done some bad things. It's not always been great, but we love each other, yeah? You don't get to just- just come here and judge me…"

"How can you marry him? Is that really what love is to you?"

"Well, what else am I supposed to do?!" His skin is burning up and he's shaking more than he was before. How dare Adam come here out of the blue and say these things. Twenty minutes ago he was begging for Adam to be here, but not anymore.

"You're supposed to be with someone that loves you! And treats you well! Not him.” Adam can’t even say Robert’s name. “Not after everything he's put you through."

"He wants to marry me, Adam. Who else is going to put up everything in my life like he has? Gordon, Jackson, my self-harm, taking care of Liv, my entire family— I don't see anyone else knocking down my door to deal with all my baggage."

Adam shakes his head and rubs his face with this hands. "Aaron, if you could just see yourself."

"What are you talking about?" He doesn’t want this. He wants to go out into the hotel and marry Robert and forget this conversation ever happened. He doesn’t want to question anything and he doesn’t want Adam to remind him of all things he's giving up.

"There are so many guys out there that would love to be with you, not just 'put up' with you. You deserve someone that's going to treat you right and love every part of your life, the good and the bad, not Robert. Robert isn’t even half the man you should be with."

"Stop it, Adam. I mean it." The tears that had been welling up in his eyes finally fall and swipes at them quickly. "That guy doesn’t exist."

"He does. That guy is out there, right now, wishing he could be with you. Don't throw away that chance, Aaron, please."

"Yeah? Who is he? 'Cause I've looked and trust me, unless you’re—"

Aaron's cut off. Adam's hands are on either side of his face, his lips soft against his own. There's no way this is happening. Teenaged Aaron is screaming at himself, begging him to kiss his best friend back like the world depends on it, but current Aaron doesn’t know what to do. He's getting married today, but all he can feel and hear and see is Adam wrapped around him.

Aaron’s thought about this moment for the entire time he’s known Adam, but never let himself seriously consider what would happen. What is would be like. 

It’s softer than he ever expected it to be. One of Adam’s hands is barely hovering over his cheek now, while the other one has moved to tentatively cupping his neck. Aaron doesn’t know what to do with his own, so he pulls Adam closer by wrapping his arms around his sides. 

Aaron’s always known that Adam’s gentler with him than he is with most people, but this is entirely different. This is different than Aaron’s ever been kissed before. This is…

This is love. 

Aaron pulls back to catch his breath. Adam looks as stricken as he does, his face white and gently gasping for air. 

Suddenly, Aaron’s reality comes back to him and he lightly hits Adam against the chest.

“Why would you do that? What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Aaron.”

“This isn’t a game, Adam. What are you-are you making fun of me? Teasing me?”

“Aaron.” Adam puts his hands up to get Aaron to calm down, but he can’t. 

“I’vewanted for this for years and you wait until my wedding day? Are you kidding me?”

“No.” Adam steps forward and places his hands on Aaron’s shoulders. “This isn’t a joke.” Adam looks Aaron straight in the eyes, which causes Aaron to look away. The intimacy is killing him. “I’ve been thinking about this for awhile. Since before I left.”

Aaron forces himself to look at Adam in the eyes. “What? Why didn’t you—?”

“I thought you were happy with him. I thought, well, that I could just brush how I felt aside so that I wouldn’t ruin things. For you or Vic or Robert...I really thought it was for the best. But I was wrong. Aaron, I shouldn’t have waited.” Adam inches forward and tentatively kisses Aaron again. This time, Aaron leans into it. He realizes that this is what he’s been missing his whole life. 

He’s always wanted what he can’t have except he can have it now, can’t he?

Adam the one who pulls back first. “I’ve waited so long to do that.”

“Not as long as me.” Aaron flashes back to a mistake of years past, of trying to kiss Adam after their minor accident and the major fallout that came after. He used to wish more than anything that he could take it back. Now, he only wishes Adam hadn’t pulled away. 

“What do we do now?”

“Well, I guess I can’t get married.” Adam looks guilty for a moment, obviously pleased that he achieved his goal of returning, but feeling sorry about putting Aaron in this position. “But what about you? We can’t just— you’re on the run.”

“I don’t know. I hadn’t actually planned that far.” Aaron suppresses a laugh. ”But we’ll figure it out. We have to.”

“We?”

“Yeah, I mean, I wouldn’t risk jail time for just anyone, y’know.” Aaron wouldn’t either. 

“Okay, well, give me an hour or so to deal with my family and Robert. God knows something’s gonna kick off. Don’t get into any more trouble while I’m gone, okay?”

Adam nods before pulling Aaron in by his suit lapels and giving him another kiss. It’s longer than the last one; sweet and soft, but tender. Adam kisses Aaron like a promise he’s never going to break. 

“I’ll be waiting.” Aaron tries to suppress a smile, his body still vibrating from the kiss and walks out of the room, ready to start a new life.


End file.
